You are here

José Andrés, Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer, Eric Ripert, and Masa Takayama—each nominated the chef he believes to be the most gifted of the next generation.

Click on the dinner plates to meet each of the talented nominees, and then click on The Competition plate to read about each exciting dinner as they vied for the title of New Culinary Master.

Welcome

Robb Report’s continual search for the most talented up-and-coming culinary artists moved to another level last year with our inaugural Culinary Masters Competition. We assembled a panel of five renowned master chefs—José Andrés, Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer, Eric Ripert, and Masa Takayama—and asked each of them to select the chef whom he believes to be the most gifted among the industry’s emerging stars. Their nominations as were surprising and exciting as you would imagine: five chefs from around the world who have the intellect and ability to shape the future of fine dining and cuisine.

Last fall, the nominees showcased their work in a series of command performances in Los Angeles and New York City: Each chef prepared a five-course meal that reflected the breadth and depth of his or her achievements in the kitchen. These amazing repasts were paired with some of the world’s finest wines, which the winemakers and chefs specially selected to accompany each dish. Each dinner was also a benefit for the charity of the master chef’s choosing.

During these gatherings, each master chef discussed his reasons for choosing his nominee, as well as his own philosophies of food, life, and living well. Equally important, the 50 judges at each dinner—a select group of Robb Report readers and editors—shared their own experiences and impressions and, no doubt, made some new friends. However, our task remained a serious one: To decide which of these remarkable nominees would be introduced in the January issue of Robb Report as the New Culinary Master for 2013.

We invite you to join us as well. Please scroll through the following links, which will acquaint you with the dynamic nominees, the elegant dining venues, and more. Peruse the menus, recipes, and commentary—and enjoy an in-depth look at this year’s winner, chef Katie Button of Curate in Asheville, North Carolina.

And then stay tuned. We will soon announce this year’s panel of Master Chefs and nominees and embark upon our next culinary adventure. Thank you for joining us. —The Editors